The Porch & First Plant Purchases of Spring

A visit to Home Depot on Saturday for peat pellets turned out to be a surprise. Spring flowers had arrived and the outdoor gardening area was open. 

Yes! I still have my Christmas wreath. Of course it wasn't hanging up just on the porch.  I guess winter is over and I have to let this go. I regret throwing it out. I wonder if it would have kept the color by next Christmas? I took off the ornaments to add to next years wreath.

The hyacinth bulbs are gifts from my mother. She knows I love their smell. She also bought me 2 mini orchids. For this season I bought sedum and Algerian ivy. The ivy will go in the window boxes. I will be adding shrubs and evergreen plants that will keep the boxes looking good in all season with less care required. Of course I will add annuals for color and blooms. The large pots are my bulbs I planted late of course, but they're coming up. I was worried after reading that bulbs in container if allowed to freeze would turn to mush. I guess I can't believe everything I read. My porch is unheated and with the temperatures we had this winter I would think that they froze and thawed out may times.

Time to start planting.

Ranunculus

My sad looking pansies compared to the purchased ones. I will be experimenting with them this summer for the fall. I believe that growers use growth and root simulators to get their pansies looking the way they do. I will find out.

Spider Plant. I don't do well with these but I love them. I broke my rule because my mother has given me many over the years that were humongous and of course they died at my house while thriving at hers. How could I pass up a full sized plant for five dollars? Lets see how it does this summer.

Ivy. I never though I would buy an ivy plant since  I have so much unwanted ivy growing at my door step. I love blooms but buying plants just to see them die is getting old. Is this my ideal plant? Of course not, but I have to start making wiser choices and not waiting money. I know this will survive even in the winter. Last year I had a beautiful pale pink bougainvillea in this spot. Didn't last long. The porch gets lots of sun and heat but some plants just don't make it here.

Gifts and purchases.

Algerian Ivy. I thought it was pretty. For the window boxes.

Closer look at my pansies. Sad state aren't they? Practice makes perfect. June is another chance to try again and relish the variety of seeds to choose from soon, after I get the front and back yard in order. Looks like they could be thrown out to me, but I'm going to see how long they can survive and learn from them.

Just beautiful. Pansies and Swiss chard. There were so many colors to choose from. I will select different colors for the yard.  Waiting for the possible snow storm Monday night into Tuesday to pass before I plant these outside. This is our April fool's joke. The joke is on us. Of course
pansies don't mind the snow. 

Tomorrow is a work day. I shouldn't be blogging. I need my beauty sleep! Until tomorrow.